‘Grey gappers’ get the travel bug
Agents should be targeting the over 55 market as less students can afford to go on gap years.
A survey carried out by The Post Office Travel Insurance found that with increased university fees, only 19% of students were considering a gap year or extended break this year.
But 25% of over 55s plan to take a break of three months or longer, spending more than £4,000 each.
The most popular destinations for ‘grey gappers’ are Australia, New Zealand and the United States but India and the Far East also feature.
Family adventures are also on the rise with three quarters of parents feeling it is important for their child’s education to experience life abroad.
Many travellers either use annual insurance policies when they travel or no insurance at all rather than opting for a tailormade gap year policy.
“Age shouldn’t be a barrier when it comes to experiencing different cultures and spreading your wings,” said Sarah Munro, head of travel insurance at the Post Office.
“It's worrying though that so few gap year holidaymakers take out adequate insurance.
“If you're going abroad for an extended period of time the most vital areas to be insured for are medical treatment, repatriation in case you need to be flown home, and cancellation in case you fall ill and are unable to travel."
By Diane Evans
Diane
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Singapore to forbid entry to undesirable travelers with new no-boarding directive
Euromonitor International unveils world’s top 100 city destinations for 2025